Touch Sensor Cushion Attachment to Prevent Air Entrapment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The existing attachment structure for touch switches in vehicle interiors faces challenges in bonding a cushion layer to a housing without air being trapped between the switch and the layer, making the process difficult and prone to errors.

Innovation Solution

A sensor unit is designed to be attachable to an attachment target from one side, with a detection sensor and cushion, allowing the cushion to be accommodated in a hole in the target, ensuring easy attachment and preventing air entrapment, and optionally featuring a cover to further secure the components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the cushion layer is bonded to the housing while the touch switch is secured between them, then the touch switch is securely attached, but the bonding process becomes difficult and prone to air entrapment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesecure attachment of touch switchVSAvoidbonding process difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention divides the attachment structure into separate functional components: the touch switch is first secured to the housing, then the cushion layer is bonded to the housing in a separate operation. This segmentation allows each bonding operation to bond smaller areas at a time, reducing air entrapment issues while maintaining secure attachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The touch switch is preliminarily secured to the housing before the cushion layer bonding process. This preliminary action establishes the switch position and provides a reference structure that guides the subsequent cushion layer bonding, ensuring proper alignment and reducing the complexity of the overall attachment process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the cushion layer covers the touch switch from the housing, then the touch switch is protected and integrated, but air gets trapped between the switch and cushion layer making bonding difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration of cushion layer and touch switchVSAvoidbonding process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The bonding process is segmented into multiple smaller bonding operations rather than one large bonding operation. The cushion layer is bonded to the housing in sections, allowing air to escape more easily and reducing the complexity of each individual bonding step while achieving complete integration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If the sensor unit is attached from one side only, then the attachment process is simplified, but the sensor unit must be accommodated in a hole in the attachment target

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveattachment process simplicityVSAvoidhole structure requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of attaching the sensor unit to a flat surface from one side, the invention inverts the approach by having the sensor unit accommodated within a hole structure. This allows one-sided attachment while providing structural support and integration, effectively reversing the traditional attachment geometry to solve the problem.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This solution simplifies the attachment process, enhances the operating feel by allowing the cushion to deform elastically, and improves the sensitivity and waterproofness of the touch sensor by approximating the dielectric constant and blocking liquids, respectively.

Implementation Method 1

enhances the operating feel by allowing the cushion to deform elastically

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

The detection sensor is a touch sensor or a pressure sensor and may be able to detect approach of a detection target

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapacitive detection: Capacitance

Implementation Method 3

improves the sensitivity and waterproofness of the touch sensor by approximating the dielectric constant and blocking liquids

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhysical barrier blocking: Physical Containment

Data Source

PatentUS20230314183A1Sensor unit, and attachment structure for sensor unit and attachment target

Publication Date: 2023.10.05 HOSIDEN CORP

AI summary

A sensor unit is attachable to an attachment target so as to be partly accommodated, from one side in a first direction, in a hole opening out at least in the one side in a first direction of the attachment target. The unit includes a detection sensor capable of detecting approach of a detection target from the other side in the first direction, and at least one cushion covering the detection sensor at least partly from the other side in the first direction and may be at least partly accommodated in the hole. The at least one cushion is at least partly accommodated in the hole of the attachment target in a state where the sensor unit is attached to the attachment target from the one side in the first direction.